Newman kicks off regional tour in Cairns

Liberal National Party (LNP) leader Campbell Newman begins his first tour of regional Queensland, with Cairns as his first stop in his four-day itinerary.

The former Brisbane mayor will spend the day in Cairns and Mareeba, before heading to Ingham and Mount Isa tomorrow.

He will then spend the weekend in Townsville, Mackay and Rockhampton.

"It's a fast trip but it'll be about talking to people about the local issues," he said.

Mr Newman will miss Parliament, which is continuing sittings in Brisbane today.

He has dismissed claims the visit is a publicity stunt and concedes capturing the votes of regional Queenslanders will be a challenge.

"I know that I'm known as the Lord Mayor of Brisbane," he said.

Mr Newman says the trip is about meeting the locals.

"Ultimately it's about giving people in the north the opportunity to meet me - to hear what I've got to say," he said.

"But more importantly, it's about me listening to them.

"I do need to get out and introduce myself and I think it's appropriate that I do that as quickly as possible."

'Lot to learn'

But Labor MP Cutis Pitt, the Member for Mulgrave, says Mr Newman has a lot to learn about the region.

"I'm from far north Queensland and I can tell you they're a different breed up our way," he said.

Mr Newman says he will ask cyclone-affected north Queensland residents if the State Government is doing enough to help them.

He says the Government has taken too long to put pressure on insurance companies that are refusing to pay up.

"We're going to keep the Government accountable in terms of the recovery efforts," he said.

"I've already received some people up there about the difficulty in getting insurance claims paid from insurance companies and that's something I think needs to be addressed by the State Government, working in partnership with the Commonwealth."

CMC probe

Meanwhile in Parliament yesterday, Mr Newman was again the main issue in Question Time.

Queensland Treasurer Andrew Fraser has named several people he says are part of the Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) probe into the LNP leadership deal.

But Mr Newman says the State Government is suspiciously knowledgeable about the CMC investigation.

"The Treasurer seemed to be remarkably well informed," Mr Newman said.

But a CMC spokeswoman says the commission has not provided any information to any outside parties about its investigation.